Staff Report
ISLAMABAD: Deputy Chairman Senate Syedaal Khan on Wednesday called the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) a strong symbol of the decades-long friendship, trust, and shared progress between Pakistan and China.
Speaking at a seminar on CPEC, he said the corridor was not just about roads, ports, and energy projects, but a sign of hope, partnership, and joint prosperity.
He said Pakistan was proud to be a key partner in Chinese President Xi Jinping’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), with CPEC as its flagship project.
Syedaal Khan said that since its start in 2015, CPEC has become a milestone in bilateral relations, creating over 236,000 jobs, adding more than 8,000 megawatts of electricity to the national grid, and improving infrastructure across the country.
Belonging to Balochistan, he described Gwadar as the “heart and gateway” of CPEC, bringing economic opportunities not only for the province but for the whole country and region.
He said special economic zones, jobs, and training programmes were helping to address past deprivations and promote prosperity.
He stressed that CPEC was vital for boosting trade and investment, improving regional connectivity, and creating new industrial opportunities.
For further growth, he called for equal development of the private sectors in both countries, technology and skills transfer, and higher industrial production.
Reaffirming Pakistan’s commitment, he pledged to strengthen cooperation with China so that the benefits of CPEC reach all provinces, all sections of society, and future generations — turning Pakistan into a regional hub for trade and development.
